Suzette Sutherland '84

One of the main reasons Suzette Sutherland decided to specialize in female urology and pelvic health was her true passion for empowering women through education about their bodies and health.  Suzette stresses to women that they need to realize the impact their own personal health has on the well-being of their families and broader communities.  “As women, we are natural nurturers and caretakers; we are hard-wired to take care of others.  But we can’t play those important roles in our families and communities unless we maintain our own personal health.   Women need to maintain some semblance of balance -- physical, mental, spiritual and social -- in order to be in a better position to take care of others.  We need to invert the pyramid from time-to-time and not always put ourselves on the bottom… and by the way, it wouldn’t hurt to do a few kegels (pelvic exercises) now and then!”

Suzette intentionally carves out time to educate the general public, giving back to the community through free educational programs on women’s pelvic health:  Minneapolis and St Paul Women’s Expos, radio appearances, and numerous community talks throughout the year.  These efforts provide women with a venue -- as well as permission -- to talk about subjects that are often too personal and embarrassing to discuss – even among family and close friends.

Through publications and presentations, Suzette also enjoys educating other physicians about state-of-the-art treatment options for common pelvic problems such as urinary incontinence, bladder dysfunction and pelvic prolapse.  She enjoys the intellectual challenge of clinical research, product development, and pushing the boundaries of medicine through new discoveries for urological treatments.  Suzette also serves as a clinical consultant and investigator for companies like Pfizer, Medtronic Inc, American Medical Systems, and Allergan, to name a few.

When Suzette first entered the male-dominated field of urology as a first year resident – there had only been two other women in the history of her training program.  She was clearly on the leading edge of women interested in urology and has witnessed a changing landscape over the years.  “By the time I was in my sixth and final year, one third of the residency positions in my program were filled by women.  However, this was not the case for all urology residency programs across the country.  Although progress has been made in recognizing the need for women in urology, there’s still much room for improvement.  Still today there are only six female urologists serving the entire state of Minnesota.”

"Being a student at the College of Saint Benedict really prepared me for this particular career path.  Unlike other single-gender colleges, the success of CSB /SJU is what they offer together, as well as apart.  As a St. Ben’s student, not only did I have access to faculty and facilities at St. John’s, but I was given the opportunity to learn to work effectively with men as peers.  Needless to say, this became critical in my chosen field.  At the same time, CSB provided a supportive community of strong women who encouraged and supported one another.  Having the opportunity to grow in both worlds was, and is, important to me.”

Giving back to her medical community, Suzette mentors women from three different groups:  Society of Women in Urology, University of Minnesota Medical School, and CSB e-mentor program.  "In acknowledgement of the support I received from women as I was forging through my medical training, I think it's very important to extend a helping hand to those currently trying to navigate their own paths."  She serves on the board for her own organization, Metro Urology, as well as for the Minnesota Urological Society (making her the first female on this Board since its inception in 1946).  She also volunteers her time at Catholic Charities Branch III Drop-In Center for the homeless in Minneapolis, where she helps fund, prepare and serve meals as part of the Time Well Spent Gang (group of Bennies and Johnnies); and she serves as a lay minister, chalice bearer and reader for her parish, St David's Church, in Minnetonka.  At St Ben's she serves on the Alumnae Council, acts as co-class representative (1984), and volunteers her time for a variety of other student-oriented activities both on and off campus.  "As for my recent activities with St Ben’s, it's been so wonderful for me to reconnect with a group of strong women dedicated to a common cause, and to be able to give back to a place that provided me with so many growth opportunities."

Suzette admits to the sacrifices that she and her husband (Brad Neary, SJU '81) made in order for her to become an urologist.  “By selecting a career in surgery, I knew it would be a long rigorous road of training (11 years total).  Because of that, we made a conscious decision to put starting a family “on hold”, knowing we were possibly gambling with Mother Nature.  With the assistance of modern infertility treatments, however, we never dreamed that Mother Nature would actually win.  I hasten to add, however, that adoption was not a new option for us.  In fact, we have always been big supporters of adoption and expected that our own family plans would include adoption at some point.  We just didn’t know it’s where we would start.”

“We chose a domestic adoption (rather than international) because it provided us with the opportunity for an infant; we didn’t want to miss out on any of the experience.  As with so many things in life that are worth fighting for, the adoption process was an arduous one, but we were finally lucky enough to bring our daughter home from the hospital on Day 2 of life.  Moira Rose is now almost 18 months old and not a day goes by that we aren’t reminded how lucky we are to have her in our lives.”

Even though both Suzette and Brad really wanted to stay home with Moira, it was always their plan when Suzette finally became a partner in a medical practice that Brad would have the opportunity to consider leaving the corporate world to try his hand and at something different.  Moira’s arrival provided the perfect break in the action for him.  “Since we both made a huge investment in my career, it made sense for us to have me continue on my current path, and have him start his new career as a stay-at-home parent.”  When Moira turned 1 year old, Brad began serving in a half-time role as a Senior Development Officer for SJU, with the opportunity to work most of his hours from home while still caring for Moira.

The art of juggling and balance are two important skills in this very busy household. “Besides preparing me to function on minimal sleep, the medical residency process taught me the true art of multi-tasking in order to get a lot of work done in a small amount of time.  Even before we had a child, when we both had demanding careers, Brad and I approached all home responsibilities as a team.  I now have the luxury of having a supportive husband who stays home with our daughter, who now takes the lion's share of home responsibilities, --- and who has always been a heck of a better cook than I!!”

Institutional Advancement
College of Saint Benedict
St. Joseph, MN 56374
(320) 363-5682
(800) 648-3468